Originally Posted by
Mike Flynn
Flags of convenience are fine until something goes wrong.
In this case it would be a miracle if the insurers pay out.
N reg allows a lot of latitude in terms of where the buck stops.
Added to the complicated registration/ trust scenario is a the fact that the USA allows UK based based aircraft to be registered via a tiny company in East Anglia. In most cases these aircraft will never again see the USA.
https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/c...filing-history
Which is fine and dandy until we see a multi million pound accident such as this one.
Who oversaw who in this tragic timeline?
Pretty much no one.
There is plenty of evidence out there that the aircraft was producing revenue for the beneficiaries of trust by transporting jockys to racecourses as well as the work it undertook with Cardiff City Football Club’s agent. No one rents their investment for nothing.
All of this grey charter work was outside the control of the UK Civil Aviation Authority.
UK road legislation only permits foreign cars to a maximum of twelve months before they have to be registered as being home based. That stops the scam of uninsured and no MOT cars being used here. A UK resident cannot use a foreign car unless they are based on the continent. (Soon to change with Brexit)
These days most global shipping is registered in countries such as Panama and Liberia so that the crewing and operations are able to exploit cheap labour and lax regulation.
Many defend the N register for private aircraft owners as it allows an easier route to aircraft modifications and flying rules. Add to that the fact it is also cheaper.
I hope this accident will close the N reg lark in the UK for good and bring regulatory powers over all UK based aircraft back under the wing of the CAA.
Yes all that said above makes sense.
A typical scenario might go like this.
Sir/ Madam of UK company is doing well in business and fancies increasing social standing score and gets a PPL. Has a little chat with tame bean counter as to best way to make it tax efficient Bean counter says, well we`ve got to have a good look and s sorry about mentioning that dirty word, but we must have a good look and see about VAT. W`ve also got to show some revenue from it in the books and in case you decide to pull plug on company best it be owned by a trust, so no tax man and bailiff can get their filthy mitts on it Sir/Mam. Off goes Sir/Mam to find a chap around the club who knows about these things and hey presto here is the ideal solution , a N reg job registered to a US trust corporation.
Now who would have thought some half wit would have lent the damn thing to another half wit who then let another mate borrow it who in turn it gave the keys to a heating engineer could fix its central heating as he was so keen on flying anyway and the whole lot ended up in a terrific mess. The whole thing is just so incredible, how can anyone blame such Sirs and Mams for such a string of unforseeable and unfortunate events, M`Lud.